Why is my mouth dry even though I drink a lot of water?
If you are one of those people who suffer from dry mouth despite drinking a lot of water.
If you suffer from dry mouth all the time and this issue worries you, we recommend that you read on.
What is dry mouth?
Doctors call dry mouth xerostomia.
xerostomia is a condition in which saliva is not secreted enough by your salivary glands.
There may be other symptoms of dry mouth, such as:
- Dry throat
- Bad breath
- Cracking of the lips
You should know that if you have dry mouth, dry mouth itself is not a disease, but it can sometimes be a sign of an underlying disorder and disease and that underlying disorder will need treatment.
Xerostomia is annoying, even the perception of the taste of food is reduced in people with xerostomia. These people think that despite drinking a lot of water, their mouth is still dry.
What are the manifestations and consequences of dry mouth?
Saliva plays a very important role in moisturizing the mouth. In people with dry mouth, the following manifestations and consequences occur with decreased salivation:
- Feeling of pain and discomfort in the mouth and tongue
- Feeling of stickiness in the tongue and mouth
- Frequent feeling of thirst
- Wounds in the mouth
- Rupture of the skin at the corners of the lips
- Dryness and grooving of the tongue surface
- Burning sensation in the mouth and tongue
- Dryness and sore throat
- Speech problems
- Sore throat
- Hoarseness
- Taste problems
- Difficulty tasting
- Difficulty swallowing
- Dryness of the upper respiratory tract, such as dry nose
- Caries and damage to teeth and gums
- Frequent oral thrush
- Recurrent oral infections
- Taste changes
What causes dry mouth?
If you drink enough water but still feel dry and sticky in your mouth and tongue, you probably have one of the following:
- Conditions in which a lot of water is excreted from the body:
- Fever
- sweating
- Extensive burns
- Bleeding
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Nasal obstruction and congestion:
In these conditions, nasal breathing is not possible and mouth breathing causes more dry mouth and tongue.
Lack of oral hygiene
There is a close relationship between diabetes and dry mouth.
Lack of proper blood sugar control can lead to dry mouth.
Furthermore,
Increased urination in diabetics
Sialosis and changes in salivary gland function in diabetics
Changes in saliva composition in diabetics
can cause dry mouth in a person with diabetes.
Smokers
Anxious people
People taking drugs and narcotics
Due to their habits, their salivary glands will undergo changes that will result in reduced salivation and dry mouth.
Alcoholic fatty liver or non-alcoholic fatty liver is associated with dry mouth.
Also, early biliary cholangitis, if it reaches its final stage, presents with dry mouth, which is a sign of insufficient liver function.
With age, there will be changes in the activity of salivary glands. Dry mouth is one of the most common manifestations in old age.
- Medications that are associated with dry mouth:
- Antidepressant drugs
- Antihistamines
- Antipsychotic drugs
- Drugs used to treat Parkinson's
- Drugs used to treat Alzheimer's disease
- Bronchodilator sprays
- diuretics
- angiotensin converter enzyme inhibitors such as captopril, enalapril
- Calcium channel blockers such as diltiazem
- Anticonvulsant drugs
- beta-blockers
- Antiarrhythmic drugs
- Oral isotretinoina such as eco tan, roacutan
- Antispasmodics
And…
- Other conditions that cause dry mouth include:
- Cystic fibrosis
- AIDS
- Alzheimer's disease
- Hypertension
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Pregnancy
- Botulism
- Diabetes
- anemia
- Parkinson's disease
- Alzheimer's disease
- Mumps
- Strokes
- and autoimmune disorders, the most prominent of which is Sjogren's Syndrome.
How is dry mouth treated?
The type of chosen treatment depends on the underlying cause of the dry mouth.
In addition to treating the underlying cause, your doctor may use saliva stimulants in the form of sprays, gels, or suction pills that are distributed in pharmacies to moisturize your mouth and tongue. With regular use of these products before, during, and after meals You can moisturize your mouth.
In Sjogren's autoimmune syndrome, a drug called pilocarpine is used several times a day to stimulate salivation to make your salivary glands secrete more saliva.
What are some ways to prevent dry mouth?
- Chewing sugar-free gum
- Avoid cigarettes and tobacco
- Avoid drugs and narcotics
- Limit or stop drinking alcohol
- Suction of ice cubes
- Sucking sugar-free candies
- Oral hygiene: Proper brushing of teeth, use of mouthwash, flossing, annual visit to the dentist
- Do not eat acidic and spicy foods and too much salt and too much sweet
- Limit caffeinated beverages
- Stop consuming carbonated beverages
When should we see a doctor?
See your doctor for further evaluation if you have one or more of the following symptoms:
- Bad breath
- Taste changes
- The presence of white spots in the oral mucosa
- Swelling and sore mouth
- Problems in chewing and swallowing or speaking
- Frequent urination
- Dry eyes
- Concentrated saliva
Dry mouth occurs in the first trimester of pregnancy and usually worsens at night.
If you have dry mouth after waking up, you have probably breathed with your mouth open during sleep.
Closing remarks:
Although dry mouth is rarely serious and dangerous, if you have progressive dry mouth or if you have one of the symptoms mentioned in the paragraph above, you must see a doctor for further examination.